Sabbath for Excitement

Today is my Sabbath. Sabbath in the summer is more fluid and high-energy - I'm in the middle of (virtual) Annual Session, and preparing for a visit from family and a trip to the Country Faire - exciting! I will find peace within the bustle of the day.

Sabbath Agenda:

1. Love Meditation

2. Simple sabbath plans

3. Read "Creativity Takes Courage"
4. Evaluate my creativity habits

Sabbath for Being Balm

My sabbath is a busy one, with lots of being in community. I intend to carry a quiet presence with me all day, that will be a balm for the anxious souls around me.  

Agenda:

1. Read "Everyday Simplicity":
2. Love meditation
3. Gratitude list
4. Simple projects list

Sabbath for the Cusp of Spring

Face drawing at age 2!

Today is the start of my sabbath - for a couple of days at the end of my week I step out of the fray, and regroup. We are on the cusp of spring, and I want to take time to prepare myself - body, mind, and spirit.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

1.  Read "The Serviceberry"

2. Brainstorm for Spring

3. Practice a Reverent Way of Being

4. Plant greens

Busy Sabbath

Today is a Sabbath so full I'm already feeling anxious. But now I take a breath - let it out - and let go of the need to do everything. I will choose my three top priorities, and let go of the rest.

Agenda:

1. Choose top priorities

2. Read "Everyday Simplicity"

Day of Order

My sabbath is a good day to get organized for the week. Order means to "let all your things have their places, and let each part of your business have its time"; today I will take it slow, and ease in to order. 

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

Agenda today:

1. Read "One Year to an Organized Life"

2. Start an evening routine

3. Simple steps for health and order

4. Make pitcher of green smoothie

5. Clean and clear the bathroom

Advent Sabbath for Clarity

Today is the start of my sabbath - for a couple of days at the end of my week I step out of the fray, and regroup. We are one week into Advent, and so far the pace has been slow and calm. Today I will take some time to just enjoy the grace of the season.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

I've been seeking clearness on my next steps in my roles as activist, teacher, artist, and writer, and today I will hold these roles in my heart as I go through my simple day.

Agenda:

1. Read "Comfortable with Uncertainty"

2. Review clearness

3. Plan clearness meetings

Sabbath for Gratitude

Today is my Sabbath. In the best world, everyone would have one whole day each week to spend as we want; to stay in bed, read a good book, take a slow walk or do a crossword; one whole day to do no work, run no errands, send no emails, and clean no toilets! And why don't we? Mostly because we don't make it a priority.

A sabbath day was originally a day of renewal, and rest from work, kept on Saturday by the Jews and Sunday by most Christians. And, of course, when religious people got involved, the day got bound up with "shall and shall nots". Keeping the day holy became a lot of work, and people were arrested if they didn't do it right; enforced rest is not usually very relaxing or renewing! 

In the modern world we have swung the pendulum too far the other way, escaping religious rules and adopting the rules of progress, where no day is holy - only the dollar.

My theme today is Gratitude: How do I express my gratitude to people, the earth, and to God? What has filled me with Light?   

Agenda:
1. Simple Sabbath plans

2. Read "Wake Up Grateful"
3. Testimony of Gratitude
4. Winter Earth Awareness Practice

Sabbath for Souls

Today is my Sabbath, and it's also the time of the doorway to the dark half of the Celtic year, the opening of a new cycle. 

The early Gaels believed that the border between this world and the otherworld became thin at this time of year, and so spirits of the dead could visit the living.

This is the time of year to welcome home the souls of your ancestors. But I definitely feel some angst regarding my relatives who moved here to the "New World" to take it away from the Native Peoples, and who bought into the false American Dream, built on the subjugation and decimation of so many other living beings. 

It has become my custom at this time of year to open my heart to healing the soul connection between me and my ancestors.

Agenda:

1. Unity Art for souls

2. Make Soul Cakes

3. Throw the runes

4. Have a soul ceremony

5. Offer ongoing support for my ancestors

Sabbath for Uncertainty

Today is my Sabbath, and I'm preparing myself for the uncertainty of the coming week. It will be extraordinary; we have never faced this kind of major surgery, nor the unknowns of cancer, and we are finding our balance in chaos.

During this time of the waning moon, the moon's energy changes, and we move gradually into the yin phase - slow down, go within, and focus on inner work. I back off a bit on actively pursuing my goals, and allow the ease of being a loving, thoughtful person to carry me towards my dreams.

The waning gibbous moon is a time to practice the work of intentional Being, rather than Doing. When I slow down I can see what my hard work has produced in the world and in myself, and I have the leisure to notice, absorb, expand, and just BE.

Sabbath Agenda:

1. Simple sabbath plans

2. Read "Comfortable with Uncertainty"
3. Love meditation

4. Monthly receptivity practices

Sabbath for Depth

Today is my Sabbath. In the best world, everyone would have one whole day each week to spend as we want; to stay in bed, read a good book, take a slow walk or do a crossword; one whole day to do no work, run no errands, send no emails, and clean no toilets! And why don't we? Mostly because we don't make it a priority.

A sabbath day was originally a day of renewal, and rest from work, kept on Saturday by the Jews and Sunday by most Christians. And, of course, when religious people got involved, the day got bound up with "shall and shall nots". Keeping the day holy became a lot of work, and people were arrested if they didn't do it right; enforced rest is not usually very relaxing or renewing! 

In the modern world we have swung the pendulum too far the other way, escaping religious rules and adopting the rules of progress, where no day is holy - only the dollar.

My theme today is Depth: What is my Truth, and what are my intentions? What are my next steps? 

Sabbath Agenda:

1. Simple sabbath plans

2. Read "The Creativity Book"

3. Plant beets

4. Depth walk

Third Quarter Moon Sabbath (for Art and Garden)

Today is the Third Quarter Moon: This waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work and self-care.

It's also my sabbath, and I'm giving gentle attention to my art and my garden.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Renewal plan

3. Evaluation House

4. Monthly journal brainstorm

5. Do the smallest thing

6. Surrender, rest, recuperate

July Sabbath for the Light of Summer

The month of July is a golden time of passion and activity. Nature celebrates the peak of its power, the sun reaches her highest point, and I do the same; every day I get to share my light with the world. I put my best and brightest energy into my projects, my garden, and my art. I seek out chances to be courageous, and extend myself beyond what’s comfortable.

The question for July is How do I shine through the clouds?

“Hold the sadness and pain of samsara in your heart and at the same time the power and vision of the Great Eastern Sun. Then the warrior can make a proper cup of tea.”

~ Chogyam Trungpa

Agenda:

1. Keeping the Sabbath

2. Read "Total Chakra Energy Plan"

3. Sacral chakra practice

4. Exceptional Care practice

Sabbath for the Cusp of Spring

Today is the start of my sabbath - for a couple of days at the end of my week I step out of the fray, and regroup. We are on the cusp of spring, and I want to take time to prepare myself - body, mind, and spirit.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

1. Brainstorm for Spring

2. Practice a Reverent Way of Being

3. Make bread

4. Plant greens and milkweed

Simple Sabbath

Today is my Sabbath. In the best world, everyone would have one whole day each week to spend as we want; to stay in bed, read a good book, take a slow walk or do a crossword; one whole day to do no work, run no errands, send no emails, and clean no toilets! And why don't we? Mostly because we don't make it a priority.

A sabbath day was originally a day of renewal, and rest from work, kept on Saturday by the Jews and Sunday by most Christians. And, of course, when religious people got involved, the day got bound up with "shall and shall nots". Keeping the day holy became a lot of work, and people were arrested if they didn't do it right; enforced rest is not usually very relaxing or renewing! 

In the modern world we have swung the pendulum too far the other way, escaping religious rules and adopting the rules of progress, where no day is holy - only the dollar. 

Sabbath Agenda:

1. Simple sabbath plans

2. Read "The Simpler Life"

3. How to simplify my life

July Sabbath for Creation

The month of July is a golden time of passion and activity. Nature celebrates the peak of its power, the sun reaches her highest point, and I do the same; every day I get to share my light with the world. I put my best and brightest energy into my projects, my garden, and my art. I seek out chances to be courageous, and extend myself beyond what’s comfortable.

The question for July is How do I shine through the clouds?

“Hold the sadness and pain of samsara in your heart and at the same time the power and vision of the Great Eastern Sun. Then the warrior can make a proper cup of tea.”

~ Chogyam Trungpa

Agenda:

1. Keeping the Sabbath

2. All day abundance meditation

3. Read "How to Manifest"

4. Make a vision board

5. Set intentions

Sabbath for Sanctuary

A sanctuary is a sanctum, a sacred and protected place of beauty, grace and refuge. Our home and garden is a sanctuary for body and soul; it embraces us and brings us back to center. When we take sanctuary, even for brief moments, we are re-created, recharged, healed, soothed, comforted and at peace.

One of my New Year's resolutions is: 

Sanctuary: I intend to care for my land with discipline and ritual, and create a home that is a peaceful and well-ordered sanctuary for those I love, because maintaining my land in good order is the honorable and sustainable thing to do, and is one way that I show reverence for the Earth and for God.

What I like about this resolution is that it encompasses my home, my land, my family and friends, the Earth and God. It helps me to de-compartmentalize my life and see it as a whole.

I hope to continue to define and upgrade our sanctum, an ongoing discipline of inner work (seeking inspiration, and upgrading my habits) and projects (creating a place of peace that expresses who we are).

Agenda:

1. Read Happier at Home

2. Spring tidying

3. Spring cleaning

4. Spring gardening

May Joy Sabbath

Today is my Sabbath. It's been a few weeks since I last had an entire day that was unscheduled. In the best world, everyone would have one whole day each week to spend as we want; to stay in bed, read a good book, take a slow walk or do a crossword; one whole day to do no work, run no errands, send no emails, and clean no toilets.

My weekends often get scheduled with wonderful events (an Earth Day rally, all day service field trip, and a birthday party), but today my schedule is clear, and I'm going to give attention to joy, contentment, self expression and play. 

Joy is a deep feeling, maybe too much to expect, a little over the top; most days I'm satisfied to feel calm and grounded, perhaps even mostly happy. But I think when we open to the possibility of feeling joyful we set the tone of the day to one of playful expectation.

Agenda this Month:

1. Read the Creativity Book

2. Craft a ceremony

3. Express myself

Sabbath for Joy

Today is my sabbath, a day to step out of the fray, and regroup. My theme this month is joy and self-expression, and I'm going to spend some time today reading, and making a plan.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

Agenda

1. Word #7 - Beloved Community

2. A gratitude nap

3. Joy walk

Sabbath for Transition

Today is my sabbath - for a couple of days at the end of my week I step out of the fray, and regroup. Spring has sprung, and my focus is shifting. Today I'll take some time to ponder transitions of body, mind, and spirit.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

1. Word #6 - Authority

2. Shift my balance

3. Set intentions

March Sabbath for Calm

Each Sunday during Lent, I like to pick a theme to give attention to; last Sunday it was forgiveness, and today it's calm. Calmness is a quality of being: At peace, relaxed in my body, steady and easy. Calmness is one aspect of resilience - if I can remain calm, I will better navigate a crisis situation, whenever it comes.

My perfect sabbath is a celebration, a holiday. I keep it holy with my attitude: I don't rush, complain, or worry. Everything I do has a flavor of peace. I schedule some work, but it's work I find fulfilling, or uplifting. Simple is a great word to describe my ideal activities for the sabbath: Simple tasks, simple foods, and an undemanding schedule.

Agenda:

1. Queries

2. Resilience reading

3. Nature journal

4.

 Plastics fast